Chapter IV.

A virgin at Antioch, having refused to sacrifice to
idols, was condemned to a house of ill-fame, whence she escaped
unharmed, having changed clothes with a Christian soldier. Then
when he was condemned for this, she returned and the two contended for
the prize of martyrdom, which was at last given to each.

22. There was
lately at Antioch a virgin who avoided being seen in public, but the
more she shrank from men’s eyes, the more they longed for
her. For beauty which is heard of but not seen is more desired,
there being two incentives to passion, love and knowledge—so long
as nothing is met with
377which
pleases less; and that which pleases is thought to be of more worth,
because the eye is not in this case the judge by investigation, but the
mind inflamed with love is full of longing. And so the holy
virgin, lest their passions should be longer fed by the desire of
gaining her, professed her intention of preserving her chastity, and so
quenched the fires of those wicked men, that she was no longer loved,
but informed against.

23. So a persecution arose. The maiden, not
knowing how to escape, and afraid lest she might fall into the hands of
those who were plotting against her chastity, prepared her soul for
heroic virtue, being so religious as not to fear death, so chaste as to
expect it. The day of her crown arrived. The expectation of
all was at its height. The maiden is brought forward, and makes
her twofold profession, of religion and of chastity. But when
they saw the constancy of her profession, her fear for her modesty, her
readiness for tortures, and her blushes at being looked on, they began
to consider how they might overcome her religion by setting chastity
before her, so that, having deprived her of that which was the
greatest, they might also deprive her of that which they had
left. So the sentence was that she should either sacrifice, or be
sent to a house of ill-fame. After what manner do they worship
their gods who thus avenge them, or how do they live themselves who
give sentence after this fashion?

24. And the virgin, not hesitating about her
religion, but fearful as to her chastity, began to reflect, What am I
to do? Each crown, that of martyrdom and that of virginity, is
grudged me to-day. But the name of virgin is not acknowledged
where the Author of virginity is denied. How can one be a virgin
who cherishes a harlot? How can one be a virgin who loves
adulterers? How a virgin if she seeks for a lover? It is
preferable to have a virgin mind than a virgin body. Each is good
if each be possible; if it be not possible, let me be chaste, not to
man but to God. Rahab, too, was a harlot, but after she believed
in God, she found salvation.32343234Jos. ii. 9. And
Judith adorned herself that she might please an adulterer, but because
she did this for religion and not for love, no one considered her an
adulteress.32353235Judith x. This
instance turned out well. For if she who entrusted herself to
religion both preserved her chastity and her country, perhaps I, by
preserving my religion, shall also preserve my chastity. But if
Judith had preferred her chastity to her religion, when her country had
been lost, she would also have lost her chastity.

25. And so, instructed by such examples, and
at the same time bearing in mind the words of the Lord, where He
says: “Whosoever shall lose his life for My sake, shall
find it,”32363236 S. Matt. x. 39. she wept, and
was silent, that the adulterer might not even hear her speaking, and
she did not choose the wrong done to her modesty, but rejected wrong
done to Christ. Consider whether it was possible for her to
suffer her body to be unchaste, who guarded even her speech.

26. For some time my words have been becoming
bashful, and fear to laud on or describe the wicked series of what was
done. Close your ears, ye virgins! The Virgin of God is
taken to a house of shame. But now unclose your ears, ye
virgins. The Virgin of Christ can be exposed to shame, but cannot
be contaminated. Everywhere she is the Virgin of God, and the
Temple of God, and houses of ill-fame cannot injure chastity, but
chastity does away with the ill-fame of the place.

27. A great rush of wanton men is made to
the place. Listen, ye holy virgins, to the miracles of the
martyr, forget the name of the place. The door is shut within,
the hawks cry without; some are contending who shall first attack the
prey. But she, with her hands raised to heaven, as though she had
come to a house of prayer, not to a resort of lust, says:
“O Christ, Who didst tame the fierce lions for the virgin
Daniel,32373237Dan. vi. 22. Thou canst
also tame the fierce minds of men. Fire became as dew to the
Hebrew children,32383238Dan. iii. 27 [50]. the water
stood up for the Jews, of Thy mercy, not of its own nature.32393239Ex. xiv. 22. Susanna knelt down for
punishment and triumphed over her adulterous accusers,32403240 Hist. Sus. 45. the right hand withered which violated
the gifts of Thy temple;324132411 [3] Kings
xiii. 4. and now thy
temple itself is violated; suffer not sacrilegious incest, Thou Who
didst not suffer theft. Let Thy Name be now again glorified in
that I who came here for shame, may go away a virgin!”

28. Scarcely had she finished her prayer,
when, lo! a man with the aspect of a terrible warrior burst in.
How the virgin trembled before him to whom the trembling people gave
way. But she did not forget what she had read.
“Daniel,” said she, “had gone to see the punishment
of Susanna, and alone pronounced her guiltless,32423242 Hist. Sus. 46. whom the people
378had condemned. A sheep may be
hidden in the shape of this wolf. Christ has His soldiers also,
Who is Master of legions.32433243 S. Matt. xxvi. 53. Or,
perchance, an executioner has come in. Fear not, my soul, such an
one makes martyrs. O Virgin! thy faith has saved
thee.”

29. And the soldier said to her:
“Fear not, sister, I pray you. I, a brother, am come hither
to save life, not to destroy it. Save me, that you yourself may
be saved. I came in like an adulterer, to go forth, if you will,
as a martyr. Let us change our attire, mine will fit you, and
yours will fit me, and each for Christ. Your robe will make me a
true soldier, mine will make you a virgin. You will be clothed
well, I shall be unclothed even better that the persecutor may
recognize me. Take the garment which will conceal the woman, give
me that which shall consecrate me a martyr. Put on the cloak
which will hide the limbs of a virgin, but preserve her modesty.
Take the cap which will cover your hair and conceal your
countenance. They who have entered houses of ill-fame are wont to
blush. When you have gone forth, take care not to look back,
remembering Lot’s wife,32443244Gen. xix. 26. who lost her
very nature because she looked back at what was unchaste, though with
chaste eyes. And be not afraid lest any part of the sacrifice
fail. I will offer the victim to God for you, do you offer the
soldier to Christ for me. You have served the good service of
chastity, the wages of which are everlasting life; you have the
breastplate of righteousness, which protects the body with spiritual
armour, the shield of faith with which to ward off wounds, and the
helmet of salvation,32453245Eph. vi. 14–17. for there is
the defence of our salvation where Christ is, since the man is the head
of the woman. and Christ of the virgin.”

30. Whilst saying this he put off his
cloak. This garment has been up to this time suspected of being
that of a persecutor and adulterer. The virgin offered her neck,
the soldier his cloak. What a spectacle that was, what a
manifestation of grace when they were contending for martyrdom in a
house of ill-fame! Let the characters be also considered, a
soldier and a virgin, that is, persons unlike in natural disposition,
but alike by the mercy of God, that the saying might be
fulfilled: “Then the wolves and the lambs shall feed
together.”32463246Isa. lxv. 25. Behold
the lamb and the wolf not only feed together but are also offered
together. Why should I say more? Having changed her
garment, the maiden flies from the snare, not now with wings of her
own, seeing she was borne on spiritual wings, and (a sight which the
ages had never seen) she leaves the house of ill-fame a virgin, but a
virgin of Christ.

31. But they who were looking with their
eyes, yet saw not, raged like robbers for prey, or wolves for a
lamb. One who was more shameless went in. But when he took
in the state of the matter with his eyes, he said, What is this?
A maiden entered, now a man is to be seen here. This is not the
old fable of a hind instead of a maiden, but in truth a virgin become a
soldier. I had heard but believed not that Christ changed water
into wine; now He has begun also to change the sexes. Let us
depart hence whilst we still are what we were. Am I too changed
who see things differently from what I believe them to be? I came
to a house of ill-fame, and see a surety.32473247 The soldier who
remained in the place of the virgin is spoken of as being her
“surety.” And yet I go forth changed, for
I shall go out chaste who came in unchaste.

32. When the affair was known, because a crown was
due to such a conqueror, he was condemned for the virgin who was seized
for the virgin, and so not only a virgin but a martyr came forth from
the house of ill-fame. It is reported that the maiden ran to the
place of punishment, and that they both contended for death. He
said: “I am condemned to death, the sentence let you go
free when it retained me.” And she replied: “I
did not choose you as my surety on pain of death, but as a guarantee
for my chastity. If chastity be attacked, my sex remains; if
blood is sought, I desire none to give bail for me, I have the means to
pay. The sentence was pronounced on me, which was pronounced for
me. Undoubtedly, if I had offered you as security for my debt,
and in my absence the judge had assigned your property to the creditor,
you would share the sentence with me, and I should pay your obligations
with my patrimony. Were I to refuse, who would not judge me
worthy of a shameful death? How much more am I bound where there
is a question of death? Let me die innocent, that I may not die
guilty. In this matter there is no middle course; today I shall
either be guilty of your blood or a martyr in my own. If I came
back quickly, who dares to shut me out? If I delayed, who dares
acquit me? I owe a greater
379debt to the laws who am guilty not only of my
own flight, but also of the death of another. My limbs are equal
to death, which were not equal to dishonour. A virgin can accept
a wound who could not accept contumely. I avoided disgrace, not
martyrdom. I gave up my robe to you; I did not alter my
profession. And if you deprive me of death, you will not have
rescued but circumvented me. Beware, pray, of resisting, beware
of venturing to contend with me. Take not away the kindness you
have conferred on me. In denying me the execution of this
sentence, you are setting up again the former one. For the
sentence is changed for a former one. If the latter binds me not,
the former one does. We can each satisfy the sentence if you
suffer me to be slain first. From you they can exact no other
penalty, but her chastity is in danger with a virgin. And so you
will be more glorious if you are seen to have made a martyr of an
adulteress. than to have made again an adulteress of a
martyr.”

33. What do you think was the end? The two
contended, and both gained the victory, and the crown was not divided,
but became two. So the holy martyrs, conferring benefits one on
the other, gave the one the impulse and the other the result to their
martyrdom.